What Jesus Did : Mark 13:34-36 - Don't Get Caught Sleeping
by Phil Ware
Don't Get Caught Sleeping - Mark 13:34-36
"This is like a man that goes on a trip and leaves his house. The man lets his servants take care of the house. He gives each servant a special job to do. One servant has the work of guarding the door. The man tells this servant to always be ready. This is the same as I am now telling you. So you must always be ready. You don't know when the owner of the house will come back. He might come in the afternoon, or at midnight, or in the early morning, or when the sun rises. The owner might come back quickly. If you are always ready, then he will not find you sleeping." (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
Jesus' preferred title for himself is the "Son of Man." Taken from both Ezekiel and Daniel, Jesus plays on the human emphasis (Ezekiel) and messianic emphasis (Daniel) of this title to link his two "comings" together. His first coming, the incarnation, involved his earthly ministry as a human being who was God living among us. The second coming will be when he comes in his glory with the angels of heaven. The real issue is not if or when he will return; the issue is whether or not his followers will be ready for his return. Will we be doing his work in the world? Will we be found faithful at his return? Will we be longing and expecting his return? When Jesus left earth, he gave his followers a mission—they were to be his representatives, his bodily presence, in the world until his return. Let's be vigilantly living out our mission until the day of his return.
Today's Prayer
O Father, wake us up and stir us to action. I confess that I sometimes get lethargic in my service to the Kingdom. There are times when I get discouraged and don't long for Jesus' return like I should. Encourage, convict, and motivate me through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"The fig tree teaches us a lesson: When the fig tree's branches become green and soft, and new leaves begin to grow, then you know that summer is near. It is the same with these things that I told you would happen. When you see all these things happening, then you will know that the time is near, ready to come. I tell you the truth. All these things will happen while people of this time are still living. The whole world, earth and sky, will be destroyed. But the words I have said will never be destroyed. "No person knows when that day or time will be. The Son and the angels in heaven don't know when that day or time will be. Only the Father knows. Be careful! Always be ready! You don't know when that time will be. This is like a man that goes on a trip and leaves his house. The man lets his servants take care of the house. He gives each servant a special job to do. One servant has the work of guarding the door. The man tells this servant to always be ready. This is the same as I am now telling you. So you must always be ready. You don't know when the owner of the house will come back. He might come in the afternoon, or at midnight, or in the early morning, or when the sun rises. The owner might come back quickly. If you are always ready, then he will not find you sleeping. I tell you this, and I say this to every person: 'Be ready!'"-- Mark 13:28-37 (ERV)
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